Maintaining waste/foul water distribution systems and equipment
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to carry out corrective maintenance activities on waste/foul water distribution systems and equipment, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to maintain distribution systems such as foul, storm and waste water systems. This will involve dismantling, removing and replacing faulty or damaged components, including pumps, valves, couplings, traps, motors, pipework, cylinders, tanks, heaters, filters, gaskets/seals, faucets and other ancillary equipment. You will be expected to apply a range of dismantling and assembly methods and techniques, such as marking/labelling of components to aid the reassembly, dismantling components requiring pressure techniques, torque loading and setting, and aligning and adjusting components
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the maintenance activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the maintenance activities, or the tools and equipment used that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You must ensure that all tools, equipment and materials used in the maintenance activities are removed from the work area on completion of the activities, and that all necessary job/task documentation is completed accurately and legibly. You will be expected to work with minimal supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions, and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.
Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work and will provide an informed approach to applying maintenance procedures on waste/foul water distribution equipment. You will understand the dismantling and reassembly methods and procedures, and their application. You will know how the equipment functions, the purpose of the individual components and associated defects, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the maintenance activities, correcting faults and ensuring that the repaired equipment functions to the required specification and remains compliant with all standards and regulations. You will also have sufficient knowledge of these components to ensure that they are fit for purpose and meet the specifications, thus providing a sound basis for carrying out reassembly.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the maintenance activities, especially those for isolating the equipment. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout and will understand your responsibility for taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
P1 work safely at all times, complying with health and safety legislation and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
P2 follow the relevant maintenance schedules to carry out the required work
P3 carry out the maintenance activities within the limits of your personal authority
P4 carry out the maintenance activities in the specified sequence and in an agreed timescale
P5 report any instances where the maintenance activities cannot be fully met or where there are identified defects outside the planned schedule
P6 complete and store all relevant maintenance documentation in accordance with organisational requirements
P7 dispose of waste materials in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures and leave the work area in a safe condition
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1 the health and safety requirements of the area in which the maintenance activity is to take place
K2 the isolation and lock-off procedures or permit-to-work procedure that applies
K3 the specific health and safety precautions to be applied during the maintenance procedure, and their effects on others (to include The Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS), The Prevention and Control of Legionellosis, and Safe working in Confined Spaces 1997)
K4 hazards associated with carrying out maintenance on waste water distribution systems, and how to minimise them to reduce the risks
K5 the importance of wearing protective clothing and other appropriate safety equipment (PPE) during the maintenance process
K6 how to obtain and interpret drawings, specifications, manufacturers' manuals and other documents needed in the maintenance process
K7 the procedure for obtaining replacement parts, materials and other consumables necessary for the maintenance activities
K8 organisational policy on repair/replacement of components during the maintenance process
K9 the sequence to be adopted for the dismantling/re-assembly of various types of assemblies
K10 the methods and techniques used to dismantle/assemble mechanical equipment (such as release of pressures/force, component identification, extraction, pressing, alignment)
K11 methods of checking that components are fit for purpose, how to identify defects and wear characteristics, and the need to replace `lifed' items (such as seals, washers and gaskets)
K12 how to make adjustments to components/assemblies to ensure they function correctly
K13 the basic principles of how the equipment functions, its operation sequence, the working purpose of individual units/components and how they interact
K14 the applications of the different types of pipework system (such as iron, clay, plastic, lead)
K15 the applications of the different types of coupling and their fittings (such as bends, branches, reduction pieces)
K16 the different methods used to treat water supplies to meet user needs
K17 the applications of the different pipework and equipment cleaning procedures (such as rod, water jet, solvents)
K18 how to check that tools and equipment are free from damage or defects, and are in a safe and usable condition
K19 the generation of maintenance documentation and/or reports following the maintenance activity
K20 the equipment operating and control procedures to be applied during the maintenance activity
K21 how to use lifting and handling equipment correctly and safely in the maintenance activity
K22 the problems associated with the maintenance activity, and how they can be overcome
K23 the organisational procedure to be adopted for the safe disposal of waste of all types of materials
K24 the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve
Scope/range
1. Carry out all of the following during the maintenance activity:
1.1 plan and communicate the maintenance activities to cause minimal disruption to normal working
1.2 obtain and use the correct issue of organisational and/or manufacturers' drawings and maintenance documentation
1.3 adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
1.4 ensure the safe isolation of equipment (such as mechanical, electricity, or fluids)
1.5 provide and maintain safe access and working arrangements for the maintenance area
1.6 carry out the maintenance activities using appropriate techniques and procedures
1.7 re-connect and return the system to service on completion of the maintenance activities
1.8 dispose of waste materials in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures and leave the work area in a safe condition
2. Carry out maintenance activities on two of the following types of water system:
2.1 waste
2.2 storm water
2.3 foul water
3. Carry out all of the following maintenance techniques, as appropriate to the equipment being maintained:
3.1 dismantling equipment to unit/sub-assembly level
3.2 dismantling units to component level
3.3 setting, aligning and adjusting replaced components
3.4 checking components for serviceability
3.5 marking/labelling of components
3.6 replacing all `lifed' items (such as seals, gaskets)
3.7 replacing damaged/defective components
3.8 making checks before re-connecting system
3.9 tightening fastenings to the required torque
3.10 functionally testing completed system
3.11 recording the results of the maintenance activity and reporting any defects found
4. Maintain and/or replace a range of water distribution equipment/components, to include twelve of the following:
4.1 pumps
4.2 interceptors
4.3 tanks
4.4 gaskets and seals
4.5 motors
4.6 plastic pipe
4.7 manifolds
4.8 faucets
4.9 valves
4.10 lead pipe (replacement only)
4.11 traps
4.12 control devices
4.13 couplings/connectors
4.14 clay pipe
4.15 filters
4.16 electrical wiring
4.17 pump chambers
4.18 iron or steel pipe
4.19 sensors
4.20 electrical connectors
4.21 macerators
4.22 gauges/indicators
4.23 switches
4.24 dosing plant
4.25 ancillary equipment (such as sinks, toilets, showers)
5. Maintain waste water distribution systems in compliance with one of the following:
5.1 organisational guidelines and codes of practice
5.2 equipment manufacturer's operation range
5.3 BS, ISO and/or BSEN standards
6. Complete and store all relevant maintenance documentation in accordance with organisational requirements, using one of the following:
6.1 job cards
6.2 permits to work/formal risk assessment and/or sign-on/off procedures
6.3 maintenance log or report
6.4 organisational-specific documentation
6.5 electronic reports